1999 Acura RL Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Jan 21, 2021 · 24 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other RL years
Far more complaints than other years 5th of 18 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 24 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 Acura RL. That ranks 5th out of 18 RL model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (9 complaints, 38%), typically at around 110,250 miles. Complaints mention 1 fire, 2 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.

Acura RL
2009 Acura RL photographed at the 2009 Washington DC Auto Show.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 1999 Acura RL problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Air Bags9 · ~110,250 mi
Visibility4 · ~87,000 mi
Seat Belts3 · ~73,000 mi
Electrical System2 · ~17,000 mi
Power Train2 · ~154,000 mi
Fuel System, Gasoline1
Fuel System, Other1 · ~81,395 mi
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
Suspension1 · ~92,751 mi
Tires1 · ~41,000 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Air Bags938%110,250——
Visibility417%87,000——
Seat Belts313%73,000——
Electrical System28%17,000——
Power Train28%154,000——
Fuel System, Gasoline14%———
Fuel System, Other14%81,395——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic14%———
Suspension14%92,751——
Tires14%41,000——
Unknown or Other14%———

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 1999, with 2 complaints
1999: 2199922001: 222003: 1200312004: 112005: 2200522006: 222007: 2200722008: 222009: 1200912012: 112013: 2201322015: 112016: 2201622020: 222021: 120211

n = 24 complaints · Source: NHTSA

1999 Acura RL recalls (2)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator moduleJan 17, 2020 · NHTSA campaign 20V026000 · 1,439,841 vehicles

Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 1998 Acura 2.2CL, 1998-1999 Acura 2.3CL, 1998-1999 Acura 3.0CL, 2001 Acura 3.2CL and Acura MDX, 1998-2000 Honda Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Sedan, Odyssey and Acura 3.5RL, 1999-2000 Acura 3.2TL, 1996-2000 Civic Coupe, 1997-2000 CR-V, 1997-1998 EV Plus, and 1998-1999 Isuzu Oasis vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver frontal air bag inflator, and replace it if necessary, with an inflator of a different design, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact American Honda's Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138 or Isuzu customer service at 1-800-255-6727.

Power train:automatic transmissionAug 19, 1999 · NHTSA campaign 99V227000 · 96,518 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. A transmission case bolt can loosen and fall out allowing the transmission to disengage from the differential.

Risk: The vehicle could lose power to the drive wheels without warning. Also, shifting the transmission into the park position would not lock the wheels, and a parked vehicle could move unexpectedly if the parking brake is not set.

Fix: Dealers will install a redesigned bolt.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

1999 acura rl. Consumer writes in regards to airbag safety recall. *ld the consumer stated the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time completing the recall repair. *js

Air Bags · received Jan 21, 2021 · NHTSA complaint 11389115

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 ACURA RL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V026000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT…

Air Bags · received Jul 6, 2020 · NHTSA complaint 11337625

Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 1999 acura rl. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v026000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair…

Air Bags · received May 26, 2020 · NHTSA complaint 11325999

Car had electrical malfunction the odometer keep having equal numbers alot of the time. Also acceleration kept changing on its own. As i was driving and also on the highway going towards oregon. In july of 2016. *tr

Electrical System · received Sep 27, 2016 · NHTSA complaint 10910110

Srs light illumimated. Took to acura dealer, stated opds sensor and/or opds unit failure. $1200-$1600 to replace 1 or 2 units. Airbags will not deploy in event of impact. This is totally a safety issue and should be covered by the manufacturer.

Air Bags · received Sep 7, 2016 · NHTSA complaint 10904413

Other Acura RL years

← 1998 RL · 2000 RL →

See all Acura RL problems by year, every Acura model, or the Acura VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 1999 Acura RL?

Owners most often report air bags, visibility, seat belts problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 9 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 1999 Acura RL?

Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 1999 Acura RL a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other RL model years, the 1999 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.